Apparatus for positioning strip



- Feb. 2, 1954 E. 'r. L RIG APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING STRIP Filed Jan. 25, 1951 W 7 m M 4 w QM WMM m.

Patented Feb. 2 1 54 County, Pa., assignoi' to UnitedStates Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application January 25, 1951, Serial No. 207,808

3 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for automatically centering and aligning moving objects and is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 145,648, filed February 23, 1950, now Patent No. 2,593,158, dated April 15, 1952.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic centering roll especially adapted for handling heavy loads.

This and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view, similar to Figure 1,. showing the position of the roll under load;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view, similar to Figure 1; showing a slight modification of my invention; and

Figure 4 is a view, similar to Figure 3, showing a further modification.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a rotatable core having shaft extensions 4, 4 thereon. Each of the shafts 4 is rotata-bly received in a bearing 6. A pair of opposed rims 8 and I surround the core 2 with a space being provided therebetween. The rims 8 and I0 are preferably frusto-conical with their large diameter ends adjacent each other.

A flange It. on the large diameter end of the rim 8 projects into an undercut portion M on the end of rim it. Each of the rims 8 and Ill has a flexible web [6 fastened to its outer end. Each web l6 extends inwardly toward the shaft 4 and is fastened to the core 2 by means of a plurality of stud bolts is which extend into the core 2 through a flange 20 which fits over the shaft 4 and bears against the web l6. A substantially cylindrical resilient liner 22 is provided between the core 2 and rims 8 and Ill.

The operation of the device is substantially the same as that in my above identified application. When pressure is applied to the surface of the rims 8 and I0 by means of the strip S, the rotating rims 8 and I0 tilt and move inwardly toward the axis of rotation at the point of contact and outwardly at a point diametrically opposite as shown in Figure 2. The overlapping portions 1 2 and 14 of the rims 8 and I0 insure constant alignment of each of the rims regardless of variation in surface pressure on the roll body. As long as the strip S is centered on the roll and the bearing pressure of the strip on the roll is uniform over its full width, no lateral movement of the strip will occur as it passes over the roll. If, however,

the strip is off-center or the strip contact pressure is non-uniform from side to side, the rim having the greatest total amount of pressure applied thereto will cause the strip S to move toward the transverse center of the roll assembly. The resilient liner permits this tilting of the rims toward the axis of rotation progressively at the points of contact with the moving object S in the manner shown in Figure 2. In other words, when pressure is applied to the roll, it will be deformed from the shape shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 2 setting up forces which will keep an object passing thereover in centered position.

While th resilient liner 22 is shown in Figures 1 and 2 as extending the full length of the core 2, this is not necessary in all instances. Instead, a liner 24 may be provided which extends only a short distance on each side of the transverse center line of the roll assembly as shown in Figure 3. Also, a plurality of rubber liners 26 may be applied to the core 2 in end to end relationship as shown in Figure 4. In this embodiment it will be seen that the resilient liner is split on the transvers center line of the roll. The operation of these embodiments is the same as that of Figures 1 and 2.

While several embodiments of my invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for automatically centering a moving object comprising a rotatable core, a pair of opposed spaced apart frusto-conical rotatable rims over which the object passes, the large diameter ends of said rims being adjacent each other, a flexible web connecting the outer end of each rim to the core for rotation therewith, and a resilient liner between the core and rim permitting the rims to tilt toward the axis of rotation progressively at the points of contact with the moving object.

2. Apparatus for automatically centering a moving object comprising a rotatable core, a pairof opposed spaced apart frusto-conical rotatable rims over which the object passes, the large diameter ends of said rims being adjacent each other, a flexible web connecting the outer end of each rim to the core for rotation therewith, the large diameter ends of said rims having overlapping portions, and a resilient liner between the core and rim permitting the rims to tilt toward the axis of rotation progressively at the points of contact with the moving object.

3. Apparatus for automatically centering a moving object comprising a rotatable core, a pair of opposed spaced apart rotatable rims over which the object passes, a flexible web connecting the outer ends of each rim to the core for rotation therewith, and a resilient liner between the core and. rim permitting the rims to tilt toward the axis .of rotationprog-ressively atthe points of contact .with the moving object.

EDWIN T. LORIG.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date,

Shirley Ju1y;2 6;--- 1881 4 Name Date Pelisse Feb. '7, 1882 Ahlquist Dec. 12, 1903 McDonough Oct. 5, 1909 Morse July 4, 1916 Moody Aug. 5, 1924 Harris June 23, 1925 Busch Apr.:27, 1926 Phillips N0v...22, 1927 Johanson Apr. 9, 1940 Cohn Apr. 30, 1940 Herrington Sept. 21, 1943 Paton Sept. 19, 1950 

